Ladder and like webbing and method of producing the same



April 25, 1939. G. F FRENCH 2,156,150

LADDER AND LIKE WEBBING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed March 9,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l lm enlor By /3 4560mm April '25, 1939. 5 FRENCH I2,156,150

LADDER AND LIKE WEBBING AND METHOD OF PRODUCING THE SAME Filed March 9,1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 By his Attarng: j

, tions oi' about it" Patented Apr. 25, 1939 UNITED s'r Tesaim LADDERLimited,

of Great new Application March a, In Great BritainMaroh AND a, onormoopoggornlfi ms. w s. 01.800

This invention refers to webbing composed of two band-like lengths oi atintervals by crosstapes. one example at such -webbing is that used. inVenetian blinds, and 5 another example is that called "pocket" tape, and3:; inside helmets for. holding strips oi cork or In weaving the webbingit is usual to weave the outeriengms oi banding and the cross tapes as asimultaneous operation, portions of about /2" of each cross tape warpsbeing interwoven with one of the bandings, and like portions ofthe'cross tapes being interwoven with the other banding. In. passingfrom one banding to the other, porof eachoithecross tape warp (withoutweft), as'also a threads are left tree portion of about 1%" cross tapes,which "floats one cross tape to gocross tape. Thatisto say.thei'reeioiningweft thread extendsi'rom the point where one cross tapebegins to weave web to where the binding of the next cross tape leavesoi! its binding and commences weaving separately as a cross tape, ingweft thread is longer than threadstothe extent oitwo bindin length ofthe'loose warp threads.

Alter the desired length of webbinghas been woven. and removed from theloom,-the said free wei'tless Joining warp threads and the 1%" of freeweft are cut away. that by cutting across them at one end. and then by"trimmingofl the cuts in all for each adiai'rom the rear end 0! that isto say, the join-v the warp joining in and the ends (known injthetradeas cutting and picking),

entails a considerable amount of labour in the finishing oi! prooeu thewebbing. and, thereiore,a'dds considerably to the cost oi production.Moreover, there is a considerable waste of material. Again, the cuttingand picking involves the risk of accidentally cutting other parts of thewebbing (making what 'are called "nibs) and consequent repair by Thisinvention has ladder webbing ina manner such that the length! ioiningthreads of the V or so that the end of one bindins -in is practicallyconti next, whilst the floatin Joining weitthread is en age in thebinding in oithe tapes. and O6 to be completely absorbed'until it wovenmaterial joined of the weft oiveach of such the forward end of the nextin with the outer banding sewing or for its object to weave the itsfunction of weavin the next cross tape, the otherwise free weft threadstarting and finishin its float" with the unbound weitless portion ofthe warp threads; In this way. only very short lengths of tree warps andweft will be left between the bindings in of the cross tapes and theouter bandings. and one out (instead or several cuts) will be suflicientto eflect the complete sev- 'erfinde 01' each oi" the free warp and weftconnections between the outer bandin'gs. Moreover, the bindings in willhe 0! \a longer length than a whole, will conesp'eoially in thewebbinghasbeenwo'venina with a iacquardor dobby to conbanding webs, Suchresting or floating of the has caused a considerto be unwoven at thefrom one outer banding webto Y the other, and thus leave the aforesaidobjectionable lengths of weftless warp threads. Further. the tree tapeweft has, for alike reason. extended from the commengementof one crosstape binding-in to the finish of the next binding-in on the surface ofthe banding web.

According to the invention, the weaving of the improved webbing iseilected in a multi-siot narrow'tape loom iitted with either adobbyorlac-P quard. In the case of a dobby, such dobby is a given apositive lifting motion whereby the movements of the heaids are renderedpositive and smoother, without causing bulging oi the of the bandingwebs, and without looping or purling of the weft, and. thereiore'.reducing to a minimum the lengths of unwoven warp threads between thebindings in of the cross tape threads and the outer banding webs, andfurther. enabling the heretofore floating welt oi the said crosstapestobewoven into thebanding websatthe same time, as'the interweavingof the strap, warp threads with the said banding webs- In the case 01 aJacquard. the ratio of movement between the iacquard operating shalt;and the intermediate ieckor mechanismisadiusted heald-mting and slowerreturn cross tape warps, however,

sothata selvedge motion is obtained. Further, the pattern cards aredesigned, during what is known as the "rest or "dwelP periods, to weavethe hitherto fioating weft into the bindings-in.

By either of the before-named methods, the improved webbing iseffectively and expeditiously produced with the lengths of unwoven warpthreads between the cross tapes and webs reduced to such an extent thatno trimming is required after once cutting through the threads, and thehitherto loose wefts between adjacent bindings-in are interwoven withthe webbing. Another advantage is that each binding in of the crosstapes is longer than previously, thus making the webbing as a whole muchstronger than heretofore.

The invention may be applied to webbing, the cross tapes of whichconsist of warp threads only, and also to webbing with pairs of crosstapes (woven or weftless) arranged side by side. It may also be appliedto webbing having three rows of cross tapes, one row near to one edge,another row near to the other edge of the webbing, and a third rowcentral tothe width of the webbing.

In the weaving of ladder or like webbing, the webbing passes through adevice called a "stopper" which serves to support and guide the webbingas it passes forward to the breast beam and to its take-up and deliveryrollers at the front of theloom and into the work box.

The known "stopper" consists of a stout metal rod, bent at right anglesto its length at one end to form an open-ended'U-shaped loop, throughwhich the webbing passes and at another part fixed to the breast beam ofthe loom. Such known stopper has several drawbacks, but mainly that itallows the webs to work out through the open side of the loop, thuscausing bad weaving, as well as allowing the webs to project beyond thewidth of the slot in the loom batten, such drawbacks also causing longstoppages of the loom to correct the weave. A further drawback is thatthe loop part of the stopper does not hold the webs close together,especially at the time and point of the beat up, which results in slackweaving and, in the case of ladder and like webbing, results in theaforesaid excessive portions of the warp threads of the cross tapesbeing left unwoven, and necessitating the subsequent cutting away .ortrimming by hand of the surplus warp threads when separating the outerbandings from each other. A further fault of the known f'stopper" isthat it is only supported at one side, and its opposite side is free tomove and get out of line with the loom batten. It is also incapable ofyielding bodily if and when struck by the loom batten.

A further object of this invention is a construction of "stopper andstopper-supporting means by which the foregoing drawbacks, areeliminated.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of the improved ladder webbing as itappears when in use.

Fig. 2 illustrates an edge view, and I Fig. 3 a plan view (with the topbanding removed) of a short length of the known webbing. prior tosevering the relatively long unwoven warp threads between each bindingin and the outer headings, and prior to severing the long unwoven weftthreads between successive cross tapes.

Fig.4 illustrates an edge view of a short length of the improved webbingprior to severing the short unwoven warp threads between the bindings inand the short single weft thread. Suchview also illustrates how thebinding: in are longer than theretoi'ore, and thereby strengthen thewebbing.

Fig. 5 illustrates a plan of Fig. 4 with the top banding removed.

Fig. 6 illustrates a plan of the improved webbing (with the top bandingremoved) when made with unwoven cross tapes, 1. e., cross tapes composedonly of warp threads.

Fig. 7 illustrates an edge view of the improved ladder webbing whenprovided with pairs of cross tapes for each blind lath.

Fig. 8 illustrates a like plan view of webbing having cross tapes alongeach edge and central to its width.

Fig. 9 illustrates a'plan view,

Fig. 9a. a cross section, and

Figs. 10 a. perspective view of one example of the improvedweb-supporting and guiding ,stopper.

Fig. 11 illustrates'in perspective a further example, and Fig. 12 a planview of a modification of the stopper-supporting devices.

Referring to Fig. l, a, a are the two outer lengths of webbing, and b, bthe series of cross tapes, these latter lying alternately alongside theopposite edges of the webbing.

As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, in the ordinary make of webbing relativelylong lengths of unwoven warp threads 0 are left between the binding in bof the end of one cross tape to one length of webbing, and the bindingin b of the end of the next cross tape to the other length of webbingalong the same edge of the webbing. Also, a relatively long length ofunwoven weft d extends from the start of one binding in to the finish ofthe next binding in. As aforesaid, the cutting away of such free warpand weft, first to separate the two webbings, and then to give a neatfinish to the webbing, entails a considerable amount of time and labour.

In the improved webbing, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5, the unwoven portions0 of the warp between each blnding in is comparatively short, and infact, is so short that one cut is sufiicient, both for severing andtrimming. Further, there is no free weft thread to sever, since the weftis woven into the bindings in. V

As showing the saving in the labour of finishing the improved webbing,it may be pointed out that with the old make of webbing having 24 crosstapes to the yard (12 on each side), and each cross tape requiring 4cuts to separate the bandlngs and remove the ends of the free warp andweft threads, no less than 13,824 cuts will be necessary in a webbing144 yards long, whereas with the improved webbing of the' same lengthand having the same number of cross tapes, the total number of cuts willonly amount to 3,456.

As aforesaid, the invention may housed in the production of webbinghaving weftless cross tapes, see Fig. 6. each cross tape consisting ofwarp threads only, and the weft used for binding in passing into theouter banding after each binding in.

The-invention may also be applied in the production of webbln havingpairs of cross tapes. see Fig. '1, near to e respective edges of theouter banding, and one slightly in advance of the other, so that whenthewebbing-is in use, a lath may be inserted between each pair of adjacentcross tapes. It may also be applied to webbing having a central row ofcross tapes in addition to-the cross tapes near to the edges of the,webbing, see Fig. 8. In all cases, the cross tapes may each beweftless, or otherwise.

Referring now to Figs. 9, 9a and 10, which show an example of theimproved "stopper" and stopper-supporting means, the "stopper is com-,

posed of a metal or other hard block e of elongated and fiat formationand having an elongated slot e also having two socket holes e, by whichthe "stopper" is fitted on to and carried horizontaliy by two rods 1 Fsecured to and extending from the breast piece a of the loom.

The two websras they are woven, pass through the "stopper from the healdside, and thence over the breast piece to the take-up and deliveryrollers and work box.

With the stopper fitted to and held by the rods F in a position suchthat its forward longitudinal side lies near to the tells of the websand with the slot e comparatively narrow and its upper and lower sidesfiat and parallel. it holds the two webs firmly and closely togetherduring each beat-up of the weft, which results in tighter weaving.

To permit of the webs being removed from the stopper" without disturbingtheir connection with the take-up roller, sfiy when requiring to inspectthe inside or underside of the webs. the upperthickness of the stoppermay, as shown in Fig. 11, be formed with an opening e preferablydiagonal. through which the webs may be withdrawn, and through whichthey may be passed back again into the stopper after inspection.Alternatively, the "stopper may be removed bodily from the rods 1 I" andslid along the webs. The opening e in the stopper also allows of thestopper being used to anchor the loose welt after reshuttling and thebroken warp ends after being drawn in.

To aflord a yielding contact of the stopper" if and when struck by theloom batten, the rods I, P may be fitted with coiled springs, see Fig.12, which yield on the "stopper being struck by the batten, butotherwise hold it in its normal forward position.

By reason of the slot 2 in the stopper" being closed at the ends nextthe sides of the stopper",

the webs cannot leave the stopper" sideways,

as in the known "stopper".

Lastly, it will be seen that by reason of the tighter weaving oi thewebbing due to the altered heald motions. the increase in the length ofeach binding in, the reduction in length of the loose warps and weftbetween the bindi flrin, and the firmer hold on the webbing at thefells", a much firmer and stronger constructi of webbing is obtained. Inaddition to sum advantages, a great saving is effected in the subsequentfinishing (cutting) operations.

By the term "stitching area as used in the claims, it is intended toinclude the area of interconnection or binding-in of a cross-tape and anouter band. The term cross straps" is intended to be synonymous with theterm "cross ta and the term "main tapes" is synonymous with "outerbands". The term filling thread" is synonymous with the term "weftthread.

65 What I claim is:

70 then the other of said outer bands. the distance between the endingof the aforesaid weaving-in of said warp threads on the first band andthe beginning of the weaving-in on the second hand being so short as tomake said ending and said 75 beginning substantially contiguous.

2. Ladder webbing and the like comprising two outer bands and a seriesof cross-tapes woven into said bands, said cross-tapes including aplurality of warp threads woven alternately into one and then the otherof said outer bands. the distance between the ending of the weaving-inon the first band and the beginning of the aforesaid weaving-in of saidwarp threads on the second hand being so short as to make said endingand said beginning substantially contiguous, said interconnectionbetween said bands having been snipped through.

3. Ladder webbing and the like comprising two outer bands and a seriesof cross-tapes woven into said bands. said cross-tapes including aplurality of warp threads woven alternately into one and then the otherof said outer bands, the distance between the ending of the aforesaidweaving-in of said warp threads on the first band and the beginning ofthe weaving-in on the second hand being so short as to make said endingand said beginning substantially contiguous, said interconnectionbetween said bands having been snipped through, so that when the ladderwebbing is collapsed said beginning and ending meet.

4. Ladder webbing and the like comprising two outer bands and a seriesof cross-tapes woven into said bands, said cross-tapes including aplurality of warp threads woven alternately into one and then the otherof said outer bands, a weft thread woven into the warp to form wovencrosstapes, the distance between the ending of the aforesaid weaving-inof said warp threads on the first band and the beginning of theweavingin on the second hand being so short as to make said ending andsaid beginning substantially contiguous.

5. Ladder webbing and the like comprising two outer bands and a seriesof cross-tapes woven into.

said bands, said cross-tapes including a plurality of warp threads wovenalternately into one and then the other of said outer hands, a weftthread woven into the warp to form woven cross-tapes, the distancebetween the ending of the aforesaid weaving-in of said warp threads onthe first band and the beginning of the weaving-in on the second bandbeing so short as to make said endin and said beginning substantiallycontiguous, said weft thread being also woven into said outer bands withsaid warp threads.

v 6. The method of weaving ladder web for Venetian blinds having a pairof main tapes and interconnecting cross straps, which comprisesinterweaving the filling thread of a strap with the warp threads of saidstrap within a stitching area where said warp threads are interwovenwith the filling thread of a main tape of the web.

"I. The method oi weaving ladder web for Venetian blinds having a pairof main tapes and interconnecting cross straps, which comprisesinterweaving the filling thread of a strap with the warp threads of saidstrap within a stitching area where said warp threads are interwovenwith the filling thread of a main tape of the web; said interweaving ofthe strap filling thread being located close-by where the strap warpthreads fioat between the main tapes.

8. The method of weaving ladder web for Venetian blinds having a pair ofmain tapes and interconnecting cross straps which comprises binding thefilling thread of a strap to a main tape so that upon severing thefloating warp threads of the strap the said filling thread will be-aimuisevered leaving ends substantially the same length as the severed endsof the warp threads.

9. Ladder web for Venetian blinds comprising a pair 01' main tapes andinterconnecting cross straps having a stitching area within which thefilling thread of a strap is interwoven with the warp threads of a strapwhere such warp threads are also interwoven with the filling thread of amain tape.

10. Ladder web for Venetian blinds comprising main tapes andinterconnecting cross straps having a stitching area within which thefilling thread of a strap is interwoven with the warp threads of saidstrap where said warp threads are interwoven with the filling thread oia main tape.

11. A method of forming ladder webbing and the like which comprisesweaving two outer hands in substantially contiguous relation, providingat least one set oi additional warp threads which form cross-tapes, saidwarp threads passing through a heald, regulating the movements of saidheald to cause said warp threads to be woven-in alternately into thefirst and then the second or said outer bands to form cross-tapes. saidheald being quickly shifted at the end of one weaving-in so that thenext weaving-in starts with practically no loss of time and leaves onlyan extremely short connection between said successive weavings-in.

iii. A method of forming ladder webbing and the like which comprisesweaving two outer bands in substantially contiguous relation, providingat least one set of additional warp threads which form cross-tapes, anadditional wei't thread for said cross-tapes, said warp threads passingthrough a heald, regulating the movements 01' said heald to cause saidwarp threads to be woven-in alternately into the first and then thesecond oi said outer bands to form cross-tapes. said heald being quicklyshifted at the end 01' one weaving-in so that the next weaving-in startswith practically no loss or time and leaves only an extremely shortconnection between said successive weavings-in.

13. A method of forming ladder webbing and the like which comprisesweaving two outer bands in substantially contiguous relation, providingat least one set of additional warp threads which form cross-tapes, anadditional weft thread for said cross tapes, said warp threads passingthrough a heald, regulating the movements of said heald to cause saidwarp threads to be woven-in alternately into the first and then thesecond of said outer bands to form cross-tapes. said heald being quicklyshifted at the endot one weaving-in so that the next weaving-in startswith practically no loss of time and leaves only an extremely shortconnection between succes sive weavlngs-in, and weaving said wett threadinto the outer bands with said warp threads.

GEO. F. FRENCH.

D l S C L A l M E R 1 2,l56,l50.-Gwwe Frederick rm, Hulme Manchester,Eiigland. LADDER m5 mama AND Mar-non or nooucmo THE Sans. Patent datedApril 25 1939. Disclaimer filed January 14, 1942, by the assignees,George French and Roger French. Hereby enter this disclaimer to claims1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10 insaid specification.

[Oficial Gazette February 10, 1948.]

tially the same length as the severed ends of the warp threads.

9. Ladder web for Venetian blinds comprising a pair 01' main tapes andinterconnecting cross straps having a stitching area within which thefilling thread of a strap is interwoven with the warp threads of a strapwhere such warp threads are also interwoven with the filling thread of amain tape.

10. Ladder web for Venetian blinds comprising main tapes andinterconnecting cross straps having a stitching area within which thefilling thread of a strap is interwoven with the warp threads of saidstrap where said warp threads are interwoven with the filling thread oia main tape.

11. A method of forming ladder webbing and the like which comprisesweaving two outer hands in substantially contiguous relation, providingat least one set oi additional warp threads which form cross-tapes, saidwarp threads passing through a heald, regulating the movements of saidheald to cause said warp threads to be woven-in alternately into thefirst and then the second or said outer bands to form cross-tapes. saidheald being quickly shifted at the end of one weaving-in so that thenext weaving-in starts with practically no loss of time and leaves onlyan extremely short connection between said successive weavings-in.

iii. A method of forming ladder webbing and the like which comprisesweaving two outer bands in substantially contiguous relation, providingat least one set of additional warp threads which form cross-tapes, anadditional wei't thread for said cross-tapes, said warp threads passingthrough a heald, regulating the movements 01' said heald to cause saidwarp threads to be woven-in alternately into the first and then thesecond oi said outer bands to form cross-tapes. said heald being quicklyshifted at the end 01' one weaving-in so that the next weaving-in startswith practically no loss or time and leaves only an extremely shortconnection between said successive weavings-in.

13. A method of forming ladder webbing and the like which comprisesweaving two outer bands in substantially contiguous relation, providingat least one set of additional warp threads which form cross-tapes, anadditional weft thread for said cross tapes, said warp threads passingthrough a heald, regulating the movements of said heald to cause saidwarp threads to be woven-in alternately into the first and then thesecond of said outer bands to form cross-tapes. said heald being quicklyshifted at the endot one weaving-in so that the next weaving-in startswith practically no loss of time and leaves only an extremely shortconnection between succes sive weavlngs-in, and weaving said wett threadinto the outer bands with said warp threads.

GEO. F. FRENCH.

D l S C L A l M E R 1 2,l56,l50.-Gwwe Frederick rm, Hulme Manchester,Eiigland. LADDER m5 mama AND Mar-non or nooucmo THE Sans. Patent datedApril 25 1939. Disclaimer filed January 14, 1942, by the assignees,George French and Roger French. Hereby enter this disclaimer to claims1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, and 10 insaid specification.

[Oficial Gazette February 10, 1948.]

